Note
September 2, 2026
1 min read
Keep the Losing Version
By Cristiano Pierry
A rejected prototype can preserve the reason a team changed direction, giving the next attempt a better starting point.
I want the losing prototype in the room when we review the next one.
A team can remember that an option felt wrong and forget where it failed. Was the first screen confusing? Did the interaction break when someone changed their mind? Or did the idea work in a demo but depend on data the product could not reliably supply?
The rejected version holds a useful comparison. A short note beside it can say what we tried, what we observed, and which question the new version is supposed to answer. That is enough. It does not need an archive ceremony.
If the next prototype cannot explain what it learned from the last one, we may be polishing the same assumption twice.
This writing reflects my personal perspectives on product management, AI, and content discovery. It does not represent the official position of my employer or any affiliated organization.